Nippon Domannaka Festival

The Nippon Domannaka Festival (Domatsuri) is the largest annual dance festival in central Japan. Established in 1999 by college students, it features over 200 dance teams at various venues throughout Nagoya. To date, millions of visitors have attended the festival, which is now ten times as large as it was at its founding.

Nippon Domannaka Festival

Photo by: WikiCommons/ KKPCW

The dancers usually wear some form of traditional dress, but music and choreography can be traditional, modern or a mixture of the two. Performances are energetic, sometimes with over 100 dancers performing highly choreographed routines.

Created by college students, Domatsuri is still very popular among college dance groups, many of which can have upwards of 50-100 members. Thus, these dance performances are often lively and feature both traditional and modern dance styles.

A Family Affair

Photo by: James Rogers

Anyone is welcome to participate in the festival, regardless of age or nationality. The only rules are that each dancer must hold a naruko (a traditional wooden clapper) and that the melody of the music must have roots in a traditional song from the dancers’ hometown. Families also perform together at Domatsuri. Seeing multiple generations dancing together, from grandchildren to grandparents, gives the event a warm, wholesome feeling.

There is even a “Domatsuri caravan team,” which carries out activities worldwide to promote the festival and share Japanese culture with other nations.

You must buy tickets to attend the main event (second day). The “Domatsuri Award” is given to the best dance group at this event. Since most groups spend an entire year devising original choreography and rehearsing, this is the highlight of the event. However, some smaller events occur throughout the city and are free of charge.